Flying machine



Way A13, 1930.

F. l. DE CHRISTO FLYING MACHINE Filed Feb. 16, 1928 3 Sheets-$heet l May13, 1930. F. DE cHRls'rd 1,758,031

FLYING MACHINE Filed Feb. 16.l 1928 3 Sheets-.Sheet 2 f v 514mmWLMLQMQQSQ I A mgm? MV lMaly 13, 1930- F. l. DE cHRlsTo 1,758,031

FLYING MACHINE Filed Feb. 16, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 13,1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANCISCO IGNACIO DE CHRISTQDECEASED,LATE F HORTA, FAYAL, AZORES ISLANDS,

PORTUGAL, BY FLORINDA DE CHRISTO RODRIGUES, ADMINISTRATRIX, OF OAK-LAND, CALIFORNIA FLYING MACHINE vApplication led February 16, 1928.Serial No. 254,867.

This inventionrelates to improvements in flying machines, and consistsmore particularly in the disposition of the wings, and of the tailcontaining hydrogen, and in the application of mechanism which inconnection with a motor will be subject to guidi ance and control in theair. lVith these ends in view the invention consists in the certainfeatures of construe? tion and combinations of parts as will behereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims. In theaccompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal view on lines 1-2 of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a horizontal plan View on lines 3 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse longitudinal section on lines 5-6 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of the head.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section of the same. Figure 6 is an end view ofthe tail. The body 1 of the Inachine is preferably composed of lightmetal and is divided into compartments or cabins which are capable ofaccommodating several passengers. An electric motor 2 is fixed centrallyin the body ofthe machine, however it is understood that any style ofmotor may be employed.

The wings 3 being formed in simulation of the wings of a bird arepivotally secured to the body 1 on each side thereof as shown at 4. Thewings are provided with reinforcing 5 rods 5 and have struts 6 extendinglongitudinally thereof. The rods 5 are connected by means of a universaljoint 7 to the eccentric shaft 8 of the motor. The wings are furtherprovided with the vertical bracing ribs 9 which are connected with aVsilk bandruche or other im pervions covering for the purpose otretaining the hydrogen that is introduced into the wings by the way ofan orifice not shown, the same being disposed beneath the wings. t

10 is a propeller shaft journalled in the brackets 11 and is connected.with the drive shaft 12 of the motor by means of a chain of gears 13,through which rotation is commeans of a suitable universal joint.

municated to the propeller 14 on the end of shaft 12.

The tail 15 of the machine is a metallic hollow structure covered withsilk or bandruehe which is supplied with hydrogen. This tail is attachedto the back of body 1 by Tail 15 may be oscillated to right and left bymeans of the cables 16 which are also attached to the head 17 of themachine. These vcables extend downwardly to guides 18 and are cai riedforwardly' crossing each other intermediate the tail and the head withtheir ends attached to the diametrically opposite sides of the head.

The head 17, which functions as a rudder, is preferably formed of lightmetallic plates 19 and is in semblance of the head of a bird havingtherewithin a pilotis compartment. The head portion of the structure ispivotally related to the forward end of the body portion thereof, beingjournaled on rod 19 which is secured at its Vlower end to the floor 21.

The movement of the head 17 from right to left in a horizontal plane insynchrony with the tail 15 for steering the machine is accomplished bysteering wheel 22 secured to the steering post 2:3, which post hassecured thereto, at its lower end, pinion 24 meshing with segment 25affixed to the floor 21. From the mechanism just described, it will bereadily seen that if the steering wheel 22 be rotated in eitherdirection by a pilot positioned therebehind, that the turn table 28 willmove in unison with and in the same direction of rotation as the head17, thereby always keeping the pilot in alignment with lookouts 29 inorder that he may at all times observe the conditions ahead of themachine. The steering post 23 passes through the arm 26 which is securedto the staff 27. It will be observed (see Fig. 4) that the turn table 28necessarily moves with the head 17 independently of the body 1 in thepivotal movement of the head in a horizontal plane from right to left.

Upon movement of the head, to either right or left, there will be acorresponding movement of the tail, due to the cables 16. The cables 16are attached to both sides of the tail and pass thru guides 18.ywhichare disposed below the horizontal plane in which the tail lies, sothat upon a difference in tension in the cables 16, the tail will have atendency to rotate.

The opposite ends of the cables 1G are suitably attached to the head.lVhen the head is pointing directly forward, there is neu# tral tensionbetween the cables and the tail is perfectly horizontal. Upon movementof the head to the right, for example, a dill'erence in tension is setup and there will be a corresponding partial revolution of the tail in aclockwise direction. Similarly, upon movement of the head to the left,the tail revolves in the opposite direction. Figure G illustrates thevarious positions of the tail due to the action of the head and cables1G.

It will be understood that the head is in effect a vertical rudder andthat the simultaneous act-ion of the tail with that of the head, greatlyfacilitates the turning of the machine.

The operation of the machine is as follows: Motion is communicated tothe wings by means of the motor, and rotation of the propeller isproduced at the same time.

It will be noted from Figure 8 that the bottoms of the outer portions ofthe wings are generally concave and the tops generally convex. On thedownward stroke, therefore, there will be a concentration of pressurebuilt up on the under, concave portion of the wing and a lack ofpressure approaching a vacuum on the top of thawing. On the upwardstroke, the pressure on both sides of the wing will be more nearlybalanced.

Movement of the wings hence causes the machine to rise, since the wingsencounter a greater resistance on the downward than on the upwardstroke. It must be understood that the machine is practically buoyantdue to the presence of the hydrogen in the wings and tail and only aslight force is required to get it aloft.

The propeller imparts a forward motion to the machine.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that when thehead 17 is turned to the right or left by the operation of the steeringwheel 22 that the tail 15 will be caused to pivot in the same direc-tionwhile simultaneously pivoting on its longitudinal axis throwing theright hand or left .hand edge, according to the direction in which therudder is turned about its vertical axis, downwardly by reason of thecables 16 passing downwardly through guides 18 below the horizontalplane of the tail and are then crossed having their forward endsattached to diametrically opposite sides of the head 17, which resultsin the provision of a rudder at both the forward and rear ends of themachine which are actuated simultaneously.

Having fully described the invention, what is claimed and desired tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A flying machine comprising a body portion, a pilots compartmentconstituting a rudder and capable of pivotal movement with relation tothe forward end of the body portion, a floor in said compartment, atoothed segment affixed to the floor, a steering post, a pinion meshingwith the segment carried by the steering post and a wheel for impartingrotary movement to the pinion.

2. A flying machine comprising a body portion, a pilots compartmentconstituting a rudder and pivotally related to the front end of the bodyportion, a rudder pivotally related to the rear end of the body portionand steering instrumentalities for imparting pivotal movement to thepilots compartment and the rudder in a horizontal plane about verticalaxes while simultaneously imparting pivotal `movement to the rudderabout its horizontal longitudinal axis.

FLORINDA de CHRISTO RODRIGUES. Admm'stratm' of the Estate of FranciscoI. de Christo, Deceased.

